Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

[wrldcitizen]

HI -

I love yummy food and I usually cook up a storm for the holidays. Thanksgiving is around the corner and I was hoping that some of you experienced Atkinites out there may be able to help me put together some ideas for a low carb Happy Thanksgiving.

One question that immediately pops to mind - what low carb thickener should I buy - I have heard of several brands but which one do you guys buy? I am going to need this for the gravy.

Here are some dishes I was thinking of dishing out

- Turkey with a butter herb/spice rub - instead of my usual tangerine butter baste
- Gravy
- Stuffed mushrooms with sausage pecan stuffing
- Stuffing??? not sure how to pull this off, I normally make one with ham and apricots or dried cranberries, apple and sausage
- Green beans with onion, red peppers and cashews
- Candies yams - NOT for me
- Cranberry relish? not sure how to pull this off either
- Dinner rolls
- Pumpkin pie with almond flour crust and splenda

Any thoughts....

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

This might help:

Low Carb Luxury: Thanksgiving Recipe Recommendations

>>Cranberry relish? not sure how to pull this off either>>

This is easy! You make your own, using Splenda. To one bag (12 oz) of cranberries, you add 3/4 cup (or less ... I probably add about 1/4 cup) granular Splenda and maybe 3 Tbs. of water. Put cranberries, Splenda, and water in a pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes until the cranberries pop. Cool.

Since cranberries freeze quite well, you can buy a lot when they're in season, so you can have cranberry sauce all year round!

[chinadoll]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

I am doing deep fried turkeys and pureed cauliflower. The cranberry relish will have to be without my usual orange in it but thats OK. Green beans are on my plate too.

For stuffing, there are recipes out there google low carb stuffing and see what pops up. Most use cauliflower.

Dessert--my neighbor is making pumpkin pies but I thought I might just make a totally decadent sour cream/ricotta/cream cheese cheesecake for the low carbers in the crowd and use the pumpkin for a creamy pumpkin soup instead.

[mizski]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

Here's a recent Thanksgiving thread for some more ideas.

[LauraJ]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

I'll be the only one having the low carb fare here. I'll fix most things as usual for them.
I'll have mashed rutabagas (imo, these are much more like mashed taters than the cauliflower..and, you can get them in a can, how easy!) I Have a good low carb pumpkin cheesecake recipe I'll use and I'll make a practice run on some stuffing made with overcooked, dried and crumbled oopsies in place of the breadcrumbs. Cleochatra has a recipe for it. Unfortunately, stuffing is my favorite part of the meal. Hopefully, I will find a reasonable faximile.
Rachel Ray made a great pumpkin soup as an appetizer last yr. I made that and everyone liked it.
I'll make my own separate gravy with thicknotthin stuff. Not crazy about it, but.. whattayagonnado?

[Slapshot]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

I got dibs on both turkey legs. Plus, we'll have good low carb meat/sausage stuffing available. Salad to start and voila, no different because it's Thanksgiving. (Except this year I won't be asleep watching football at 5pm!)

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

>> I'll have mashed rutabagas>>

They're not an Induction vegetable though.

[mission to lose]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

I'll be the only one having the low carb fare here. I'll fix most things as usual for them.
I'll have mashed rutabagas (imo, these are much more like mashed taters than the cauliflower..and, you can get them in a can, how easy!) I Have a good low carb pumpkin cheesecake recipe I'll use and I'll make a practice run on some stuffing made with overcooked, dried and crumbled oopsies in place of the breadcrumbs. Cleochatra has a recipe for it. Unfortunately, stuffing is my favorite part of the meal. Hopefully, I will find a reasonable faximile.
Rachel Ray made a great pumpkin soup as an appetizer last yr. I made that and everyone liked it.
I'll make my own separate gravy with thicknotthin stuff. Not crazy about it, but.. whattayagonnado?

Funny, ever since I can remember my Grammy made what she called "Greasy Gravy" to put on Turkey at the holidays. She never made the kind of gravy made with flour, etc. And we have continued the "tradition" of Grammy's greasy Gravy to this day! What was it? One ingredient.......
.....Melted Butter! She was following Atkins before it was "invented"!

[LauraJ]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

"They're not an Induction vegetable though."

No, but I've been on induction for 21 days now and thanksgiving is still a few away. I figure I'll allow myself 1/2 cup. That and a sliver of pumpkin cheesecake will be my only indulgences.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

Even if you're were on the first rung of OWL, rutabaga isn't appropriate.

It's a starchy vegetable.

1/2 cup mashed (boiled) is 8.29 net carbs. Of course, it's your choice, but there's better ones to be made.

Since you've been on Induction for 21 days, what's your plan to move to OWL?

[Elizellen]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

As J said, rutabaga (swede in UK) is a higher rung veg, so might be better left till later in your Atkins journey. However you could make mashed celeriac (celery root) or turnips which are both induction veggies instead. With lashings of butter they make a tasty creamy dish.

[ShannonM]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

Elizellen, every time I read something you write I wish I could hop across the pond and come over to your house for tea or something.

wrldcitizen, for starters you might want to redefine "happy." Does it equal eating all the high-carb food you want or accepting that you'll have to make some substitutions and/or eat fewer carbs this year so you can achieve your goal?

[LauraJ]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

Even if you're were on the first rung of OWL, rutabaga isn't appropriate.

Well, then I reckon that I'll have the cauliflower instead.

For now, I'm basically going to stay on the induction. I'm soon to be tested for cushing's syndrome and cortisol levels. I've done atkins for years but had to go through a long series of steroids which popped about 30 pounds on me over a period of time (even while trying to not let them do their steroid thing), so, I'll have a better grip on how long I'll be sticking with this and then moving back up on the carbs when I see how it's working and what the cortisone levels are.
I do know this...if I have ANY choice in the matter, that will have been the last time I ever take steroids for any amount of time.

[LauraJ]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

However you could make mashed celeriac (celery root) or turnips which are both induction veggies instead. With lashings of butter they make a tasty creamy dish.

I may try the celeriac. I actually bought one recently and it sat in the back of my fridge for weeks (I had forgotten) so I tossed it. They are very hard to come by where I live (backwoods of Alabama) and I brought one back from out of town. I have yet to try one, but heard they were good. I have never had good luck with turnips. I don't know if it's their nature or I just happen to always get a bitter one, but...I always run into that bitter taste and I can't stand it.
Thanks for reminding me about the celeriac!

[Georgiana]

Re: Thanksgiving on the horizon - how to make it a HAPPY low carb one?

I have never had good luck with turnips. I don't know if it's their nature or I just happen to always get a bitter one, but...I always run into that bitter taste and I can't stand it.

I think Tokyo turnips (see picture below if you don't know how they look like) taste pretty sweet. I prefer them steamed... they have a "buttery" texture.



Make sure you peel them properly (maybe 1/8 inch or so).

For mashed stuff, mashed kohlrabi is another option.